Electric railway



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. C. REAGAN, Jr. ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

Patented Mar. 10 1896.

ATTORN EY.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. H. 0.- REAGAN, Jr. ELECTRIC RAILWAYPatented Mar. 10, 1896.

INVENTOR WITN ESSES:

ATTORN EY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY REAGAN, .lR., OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 556,210, dated March10, 1896. Application filed Septemb 6, 1895. Serial No. 561,619. (Nomodel- To all whom it may concern.-

lle it known that I, HARRY O. REAGAN, J r., a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in ElectricRailways, which improvement is fully set forth in the followin gspecification and accompanying drawings.

My invention consists of a novel construction of electric railway inwhich the feed-wire is inclosed in a suitable underground conduit,connections being had therefrom to the motor upon the car in the novelmanner hereinafter set forth and specifically pointed out in the claims.I

Figure 1 represents a diagrammatic view, taken partly in transversesection, showing an electric railway embodying my invention. Fig. 2represents aside elevation of the same, a portion of the conduit beingshown in section. Fig. 3 represents a vertical transverse section of acable-conduit of the usual construction after the same has been adaptedto my invention. Fig. 4 represents a side elevation of a cable-conduitadapted to my in vention. Fig, 5 represents a vertical sectional view ofanother form of cable-conduit adapted to my invention. Fig. 6 representsa vertical transverse section showing a different embodiment of theprinciple of my invention. Fig. 7 represents a partial sectional viewshowing a permanent-magnet and its adjuncts employed, to be hereinafterreferred to. Fig. 8 represents a partial sectional View of a conduit orcasing, showing the preferred means employed for keeping the feed-wiretaut. Fig. 9 represents a detail view showing another form of myinvention. Fig. 10 represents a diagrammatic view similar to Fig. 1,showing the preferred manner of con necting the battery and magnet tothe switch,

the magnet being in shunt with the main circuit and the battery cut-out,the current be ing in circuit to the motor. 7 Fig. 11' represents adiagrammatic view showing the current in circuit to the motor and thebattery and magnet in parallel or multiple. Fig. 12 represents adiagrammatic view showing the battery and magnet in series, there beingno current in the motor-circuit, but the magnet in the act of beingcharged by the battery.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspending parts in the severalfigures.

In the drawings, referring first to Fig. l, A designates a suitableconduit, which is composed of non-conducting material and is supportedin any convenient manner between the tracks 13.

C designates a feed-wire mounted in said conduit, said feed wire havingsupported thereon the contact devices D, which may have insulatingmaterial between each and be constructed as shown at the right or leftof Fig. 2, and which are adapted to rotate freely on said feed-wire,their extent of movement being limited by the longitudinally-extendingridge E and the contact strips or devices F, both of which extend withinthe conduit A, said contact devices being made in sections and havingthe insulation F interposed between the same.

G designates a roller or collector-wheel, which is adapted to contactwith said strip F, which it is understood is to be of iron, copper, orother suitable conducting material, the said wheel G being mounted onthe arm H, which is supported upon the body of the car J.

K designates a conductor leading from said arm H to the motor L, whichmay be of any well-known construction.

M designates a conductor leading from said motor to the arm N, on whichis journaled the trail-wheel P, which contacts with one of the rails.

Q designates a storage-battery, which is supported in any convenientmanner.

R designates an electric magnet which is,

in circuit with said storage-battery and also with the motor-circuit, aswill be understood from Fig. 1, it being noted that said magnet acts asa shunt across the motor-circuit, and that a switch S, which ispreferably located as indicated in'Fig. 1, is employed to open thisshunt when desired, aconnection being made from the battery Q to thebattery-point Q on said switch by means of the conductor Q while aconnection is made from the magnet R to the magnet-point S on the switchby means of, the conductor R, which leads directly'from the magnet tosaid magnet-point,

and it will further be apparent that when the motor is cut out themagnet-circuit should always be closed, so as to have the magnet inoperation when starting before there is any current from the feed-wireC, the function of the battery being to energize the magnet R.

Inthe diagrammatic views in Figs. 1 and 10 to 12, inclusive, I haveshown the preferred manner of making the connections between the switch,battery, and magnet, a connection being made from the battery Q to thebatterypoint Q on said switch by means of the con- .ducto1-Q while aconnection is made from the magnet R to the magnet-point S on the switchG by means of the conductor R, which leads directly from the magnet tothe said magnet-point, the proper connections being made between thefeed-wire, the motor, the switch and the ground, as has been alreadydescribed.

In Fig. 10 the switch is shown as being on the magnet-point, the currentbeing in circuit to the motor, while the magnet is in shunt with themain circuit and the battery cut-out.

In Fig. 11 the switch is shown on both the magnet and battery-points,the current being in circuit to the motor and the battery and magnet inparallel or multiple.

In Fig. 12 the switch is shown on both the battery-point andmagnet-point, the battery and magnet being in series. The battery is nowperforming its especial function, there being no current in themotor-circuit and the battery beingin the act of charging the magnet, asindicated by the arrows.

In Fig. 6 I have shown the contact device mounted upon the feed-wire 0provided with the two arms '1 and U, which extend in substantially astraight line, the lower arm, U,

when the upper arm is attracted by the magnet being adapted to contactwith the wire or conductor V, from which the current is conducted by theconnections IV to the contact device X, and thence by thecollector-wheel Y and conductor Z to the motor, the principle being thesame as in Fig. 1, it being understood that the arm T is suificientlyheavy to fall against the ledge E after the car has passed, and so movethe arm U out of contact with the conductor V.

In Fig. 5 I have shown an adaptation of my invention to cable-roads, theconduit A being suitably supported, as before. The contact devicemounted upon the feed-wire O in this latter case is provided with arms A13, which are mounted on a hub or collar 0 and extend at substantiallyan obtuse angle to each other, the lower arm, B, being adapted tocontact with the strip C, on which latter travels the collector-wheel D,the electricity being conducted to the motor through the conductor E, asis evident, the arrangement of the battery, magnet, &c., beingsubstantially the game as already described with reference to In Fig. 9,(I designates the feed-wire, as before, and the contact device mountedthereon has its arms G H extending, as in Fig. 6, in

substantially a straight line, the said contact device being, however,rigidly attached to the feed-wire C and the said arms G II drawn towardthe conductors K J by the attraction of a magnet, as before, but afterthe magnet has moved away therefrom the said arms are moved away fromsaid conductors by reason of the torsion of the wire 0 when the magnetleaves them, as is evident.

In Fig. 4 I have shown my invention adapted to cable-conduits of usualconstruction, L designating the cable-grip, upon t-he lower portion ofwhich are mounted the arms M, in which are journaled thecollector-wheels N, which contact with the strip F, communication beinghad between the latter and the feed-wire C by means of the devices shownin Figs. 1 and 2. I" designates springs for causing saidcollector-wheels N to contact with said strip F. Q designates magnets,as before, which are suitably supported and serve to throw intooperation the contact device D in the same manner as already describedwith reference to the other figures of the drawings.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a supplemental attachment for insuring theattraction of the contact devices, the construction of the same being asfollows: R designates a permanent steel magnet, bent in the presentinstance into the form of a horseshoe, upon the limbs or poles of whichare mounted the soft-iron spools S, upon which latter are wound spoolsof wire T, which are supported by any suitable mcans, as the posts T(seen in Fig. 7,) the above forming a combination -magnet, which afterthe current has passed through the spools of wire becomes anelectromagnet, but in case there is no current passing through thespools the permanent magnet will act to attract the contacts D or theirequivalents, as has been stated, it being understood that the spools arewound so as to act with the permanent magnet in such a way as to formthe same polarity.

Under certain conditions it may be desired to raise or lower thepermanent magnet R, so as to bring it close to the top of the conduitwhen it is desired to use said magnet, and any suitable means may beemployed for this purpose, as in the present instance the lever U, whichis fulcrumed at V and has one end pivotally attached to the saidpermanent magnet R, the other end of said lever having an arm or otherconnection W. extending upwardly and adapted to be actuated by themotorman according to requirements, it being understood that the limbsof said permanent magnet pass freely through the spools S, so as to bereadily adjustable relative thereto.

The operation is as follows: When it is desired to start the ear, thebatter Y is connected with the magnet R, and the latter being therebymagnetized it will attract the small contacts D, which are strung alongthe feeder G, and draw them up into contact with the strip F, and theelectricity willbe taken from r to part of the current there to thecollector-wheel G, and thence by the intermediate connections to themotor, a

passing through the magnet R, whereby the battery Q will be charged atthe same time, as is evident. Now as the car progresses the said magnetRwill attract the contacts in the manner explained to the strips F, andas the magnets leave the con tacts, due to the advance of the car, saidsmall contacts will fall, by reason of gravity, away from said strip F,against the longitudinal ledge E, thereby cutting out the current fromsaid strip F, it being evident, since the latter is made in sectionswhich are insulated from each other by the insulation F, that there willbe no current ahead or back of the car.

The operation in Fig. 5 is the same as already described, the functionof the magnet B being to attract the arm A of the contact device,thereby bringing the arm'E into contact with the strip'O, from which theelectricity is conducted to the motor through the intermediateconnections.

The operation is substantially the same in Fig. 6, the attraction of themagnet causing the arms U and T of the contact device to assume theposition seen in said figure, the electricity being taken from thefeeder C to thestrip X, and thence by the collector-Wheel Y andconductor Z to the motor.

The operation of the construction seen in 1 Fig. 3 will, it is thought,be apparent, and the operation of Fig.'() has already been described.

It will be evident that changes may be made in mounting and assemblingthe above parts which will come within the scope of my invention, and Ido not, therefore, desire to be limited in every instance to the exactconstructions shown and described.

The feed-wire C may be kept taut in any suitable manner-as, forinstance, as shown in Fig. Ssaid wire passing through the plate A whichis fixed in the conduit, said wire being held taut relatively thereto bymeans of the nut 13*, which is internally threaded and engages saidwire, and is screwed into contact with said plate A.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention I attach to the under sideof the conduit A the wings B, as best seen in Fig. 5, the function ofsaid wings in said figure being to catch all moisture, &c., and soprevent the same from reaching the conductor 0, said moisture droppingoff of said wings before it can reach said conductor, as is evident.

It will also be apparent in the construction shown in Fig. 9 that eitherof the conductors .T or K may be the feeder, if desired.

llavin g thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an electric railway,- a feed-wire, and contacts rotatably mountedthereon, said feedwire forming an axis for said contacts, substantiall yas described.

feed-wire, a suitable conduit therefor,

contacts rotatably mounted on said feed-wire,

2. In an electric railway, the combination with a cable-grip having anelectromagnet and contact devices mounted thereon, of a and the latterforming an axis for said contacts, substantially as described.

3'. In an electric railway, a feed-wire, an insulated conduit therefor,a sectional conductor mounted in said conduit, contacts rigidly fastenedto said feed-wire, and adapted tobe drawn to said-sectional conductor bya magnet, the torsion of said Wire serving to withdraw said contactsafter the progression of the magnet, substantially as described.

4. In an electric railway, a closed insulated conduit having afeed-wire, rotatable contacts thereon, a sectional strip supported insaid conduit, extending within and without the same, said contacts beingadapted to be moved into connection with said strip by the action of anelectric magnet on a car, substantially as described.

5. In an electric railway, a storage-battery, a motor, a feed-wire and amagnet, conductors therefor, said magnet being connected by the shuntacross the circuit, and a switch for one branch of said magnet,substantially as described.

- 6. In an electric railway, a conduit, a feedwire supported therein,and a conductor supported in said conduit, and having its endsprojecting therethrough, and in connection with a sectional conductor orstrip outside of said conduit, in combination with rotatable contactsmounted on said feed -wire, and adapted to contact with said conductor,substantially as described.

7. In an electric railway, apermanent magnet, coils of wire forming anelectromagnet surrounding the limbs of said permanent magnet, andsuitably supported, a lever, and a fulcrum therefor, said leverhavingone end attached to said, permanent magnet, while its other end isadapted to be operated by an attendant, whereby said permanent magnet iscapable of adjustment relative to said electromagnet, substantially asdescribed.

8. In an electric railway, a conduit, a feedwire supported therein, andcontacts rotatably mounted on said feed-wire, thelatter forming an axisfor said contacts and the plane of rotation of the latter beingsubstan-- tially a right angle to the longitudinal axis of saidfeed-wire, substantially as described.

9. In an electric railway, the combination with a feed-wire and contactsrotatably mounted thereupon, of means for limiting the movement of thelatter, substantially as described.

10. In an electric railway,a conduit, a feedwire therein, a'platesupported in said conduit, through which said feed-wire passes, aportion of said wire being threaded, and an internally-threaded nutadapted to engage said feed-wire, and contact with said plate,substantially as described.

11. In an electric railway, a feed-wire, a conduit therefor, acontact-strip, and a contact device, rotatably, mounted upon saidfeed-wire, substantially as described.

12. In an electrical railway, the combination with a motor, magnet,storage-battery and a switch suitably mounted on a. car, of a conductorleading from said motor to said switch, and a conductor leading fromsaid motor to the batter magnet and feed-wire,

in combination witha conductor leading from said battery to thebatterypoint of said switch, and another conductor leading from HARRY(3. REAGAN, JR.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. WmnERsHnIM, E. H. FAIRBANKS.

